


Bertie and the Perfect Gift

by Jabber_Moose



Category: Jeeves & Wooster, Jeeves - P. G. Wodehouse
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, POV First Person, Tumblr: jeevesandwoosterexchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-21 23:15:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15568506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jabber_Moose/pseuds/Jabber_Moose
Summary: For the Jeeves & Wooster Gift Exchange 2018, I received Sans_Patronymic to gift for. Jeeves and Wooster was one of my first fandoms, and while i'm a bit out of practice with them, I had a lot of fun writing this. Hope you enjoy!"Possible prompts (use any or none!): "Add a little wiggle"; banjos; antique shops; electric toasters; auto races."Bertie is determined to commemorate the anniversary of his partnership with Jeeves with the perfect gift.





	Bertie and the Perfect Gift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sans_patronymic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sans_patronymic/gifts).



It was one of those days where you just know the heavens are smiling down on you and luck was on your side. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, Aunt Agatha had cancelled a lunch meeting due to a sudden cold (Now, I don’t wish any ill will on my aunt, no matter what, but any reason for that sort of meeting to be cancelled is truly Bertram Approved). Eager to make the best of my advantageous luck, I informed Jeeves I would be spending the day at the Drones, insisted he take the day off, gave him a peck on the cheek and swept out the door.

In fact, before I resume, it occurs to me that yours truly almost leapt ahead with this tale before informing you, dear reader, of the most remarkable development, in case you are beginning to be quite alarmed by the young master laying any sort of kisses on his valet.

In the years that followed our first auspicious meeting, my man Jeeves and I had been chased by a whole manner of things- Animals, females, aunts, any number of jilted gentlemen, but we have always come out no worse for wear (Sometimes, yours truly a bit more cold, wet, and dented ego), but most importantly, we have come out of it together.

You see, at some point along the lines, Jeeves and I realized we were both quite fond of experiencing life together, and we decided to make honest men of each other.

Unofficially, of course, given the circs in society and all that rot. But I can assure you it was a truly remarkable experience. I’m not afraid to admit the old Wooster eye was a bit misty as we confessed in the privacy of the flat, and even Jeeves’ sheep in the meadow voice seemed a bit scratchy.

While not much has changed since that evening, I could not help but feel there was more that I could do to show my appreciation. We certainly couldn’t experience standing before our friends and families declaring ourselves, but surely there was something I could manage.

Which leads me to today’s outing. It wouldn’t do for Jeeves to come along and spoil his own surprise, hence me sending him off to do whatever he so pleased while I took care of more important matters. It had been five years since Jeeves had entered my life, and I wanted to commemorate our commitment to each other. We knew there would be no ceremony, no declaring our love and affection before family and friends (although I would be lying if I have not fantasized it over breakfast until my tea went cold), no rings proudly worn on our fingers for all to see, but I knew what we were to each other. So, in lieu of rings, romantic picnics and public declarations of affection, I marched myself to the nearest antique shop to browse the wares. Jeeves was rather fond of more traditional items other than his improving books, and I was determined to find a piece that called out as The One.

With that in mind, and knowing Lady Luck and the heavens were at my back, I entered the shop in question, and strolled through the aisles, until i saw It.

It was an old, silver pocket watch. It was rather nicked and had lost its shine, but the back had an etching of an anchor and a sailboat, possibly once belonging to a sailor or somesuch. It immediately called to me because of Jeeves’ love of fishing, the way he keeps me grounded, and the fact that he had knocked on my door the morning after the ill-fated boat race. With my mind set, I reached for the item just as another hand moved to take it. Well, that would not do. Bertram Wooster was willing to compromise and bend more than he should, but not this time. Not when the matters of love were at stake!

Although, that was a rather familiar hand, and i have not met many gentlemen with such cared for hands, not like-

“Jeeves!” I let out a startled yelp of surprise at the owner of the hand reaching for the same timepiece as myself. Jeeves, in the flesh, stared back at me, eyes just wide enough that only anyone who was well versed in the Jeevesian facial expressions (Like yours truly), could decipher the genuine surprise on his otherwise schooled features.

“Sir,” my man said, similarly, his fingers curling back from the shelf, dropping at his side. “I was under the impression you were with your companions until late.”

“And I had given you the day off,” I returned. “Well, it isn’t to say you couldn’t go shopping wherever you pleased on your day off!”

“I have found that this sort of shop tends to clear my mind,” Jeeves’ voice evened out to its usual smooth tones. “The quiet is a balm, and there is something about the atmosphere that is most pleasing.”

“Well,” I said, perhaps a bit too loudly, based on the look the shopkeep sent my way. “Well, then! I’d best be on my way, then, and leave you to your browsing.” Jeeves’ brow was furrowing at an alarming rate as i spoke, and I waved a hand dismissively to cut off any non-verbal Jeevesian questioning that was about to come my way.

It was at this moment that the shopkeep, clearly realizing he was at risk of losing not one, but two sales from well dressed gentlemen, came sweeping over, a brighter smile plastered over his formerly grumpy dial.

“Gentlemen,” he said. “Welcome. Is there something I could assist you with? A lovely bauble for your lady, perhaps?”

The oddest expression passed over Jeeves’ face just then, one I have never seen in the years he has been in my service.

“Thank you for your assistance,” Jeeves recovered himself. “I shall let you know directly if I have questions. Please excuse me, sir,” and with a tip of his hat, he rounded a corner, vanishing from view.

The shopkeeper turned expectant eyes on me, and I was forced to pull my attention from the Jeeves-shaped empty space in the shop, and I squared my shoulders, and I pointed to the pocket watch. “If you’ll be so kind, my good man,” I said. “I’d like this, and if you’ve got the wrappings for it.”

The man in question got the most peculiar face on his dial, his eyes darting to where Jeeves had vanished, before a smile spread across his face, and he gestured me to the counter.

“It’s a marvelous selection,” the man in question informed me. “It has been sitting on the shelf for quite some time, and only recently has it garnered quite a bit of attention. Summertime around the corner must have people nostalgic for the seas and sailing, i suppose. In fact, a gentleman had come in earlier asking me to set aside that very piece for his love, and I did promise him to do so, however,” his eyes swept me up and down in a calculating manner. “With a bit of wiggle room, I have no doubt we could negotiate a fair price, you and I.”

Well, something about this just seemed rather off to me, and I could feel the eyes of the Woosters past on me judging me for considering taking a fine piece from someone else who was rightfully there before me.

“I can’t say, old thing,” I said, as apologetic as I could muster. “It just doesn’t seem the thing to just go over a stranger’s head. It is a dashed fine piece-”

“One of a kind,” the man interjected, and with that, my resolve crumbled. A one of a kind piece for a one of a kind man. I wish my heart and conscience felt as light as my wallet (I paid a fair amount, after all the haggling) as I took my purchase and my leave, and returned home.

 

-

 

It was a bit later than intended by the time I stepped inside, and Jeeves was there, as always, to take my hat, and once the door was closed, I received a much anticipated kiss. It was these sort of small displays that made me understand the hype of marriage, coming home to a loved one, even if it didn’t work out quite the same way anyone had planned, including yours truly.

“Welcome home, Bertram,” another wonderfully anticipated development with this whole partnership sitch.

“Hello, again, Reginald,” I stole another kiss of my own, before crossing to the couch and having a seat, gesturing him over. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Do you?” Jeeves’ eyebrows arched just so in a manner that implied he was pleased, but not at all surprised in the least. Of course he wasn’t. He had seen me, after all, and Jeeves was Jeeves.

“Yes, well,” I waved a hand, leaning forward with purchase in hand. “I was going to build the suspense and make an evening of it, but that didn’t quite seem your style. More to the point, what?”

Jeeves inclined his head, his mouth curved just slightly, before taking a seat next to me and carefully unwrapping the gift to reveal the pocket watch.

“It was at the antique shop,” I offered, when there was no forthcoming comment. “Where we had met, I mean. You had seen it, and it seemed to spark your interest. Not that i had planned on it, mind you, I’d already spotted it before I’d seen you. It just struck me as something you might enjoy.” There was still no response, and Jeeves’ attention was fully on his gift as he turned it over in his hand a few times, careful. “Oh, good lord. I may not be completely up to par in this area without your guidance, but surely it isn’t so distasteful!”

Jeeves tilted his head, blinking a few times as if coming out of a sort of fugue state. Perhaps that brilliant mind of his was already formulating a way to dispose of the gift without hurting my feelings.

“My apologies, Bertram,” he said. “..if you would excuse me.” And with that, he swept into his room and out of sight, leaving yours truly with an aching heart and muddled, confused lemon.

Jeeves certainly had his moments in the past where his motive often outweighed his empathy, but not since our understanding. Not since we had become, well, a _we_.

I was about to get up and let Jeeves hear what I truly felt about his actions, when he slipped back into the sitting room with a box of his own, one of a familiar size and shape.

“I apologize again for my abrupt departure,” Jeeves set the box in front of me. “I was unsure of how to proceed, given the circumstances.”

I simply stared at him, mouth open, before looking back down at the box. I may not be the brightest cove on the block, but something told me I knew exactly what was in that box, and upon opening it, the contents came as no surprise.

An old pocket watch, slightly nicked and faded, engraved with an anchor and a sailboat. Identical to the one I had just gifted to Jeeves.

“It wasn’t one of a kind,” I said, unable to keep the disappointment out of my voice. “I truly thought I was doing something unique for you. Did you know, old thing? Were you there on the off chance of me getting duped as always, and there to pick up the pieces when you saw my interest in the watch?”

To my surprise, Jeeves let out a soft sound that resonated somewhere from deep in his chest. “No, Bertram,” he murmured, and the affection in his voice eased something in my own chest. “I was searching for a gift for you as well, to commemorate the anniversary of our meeting. It was coincidence that we both admired the same craftsmanship of the watch.”

“But the shopkeeper said it was one of a kind,” I said, again.

“Indeed,” Jeeves nodded, his expression set in the manner it always is when he’s solved a problem, but his eyes were soft when he looked at me. “However, it is no less special because of this. I imagine these two watches were always a pair, perhaps belonging to two individuals who specifically had them engraved. The shop we found today was a small one, no doubt struggling financially, and the shopkeeper could have intended to sell them as a pair, but when we both took notice of it, he may have seen a chance for a larger sale once our statuses were revealed as employer and servant. I had visited the shop prior, and took note of the watch. I imagine you paid a far higher price than I did for the same piece.”

“Wait!” I held up a hand as the pieces fell into place. “You don’t mean to tell me y _ou_ are the unnamed gentleman who requested the watch set aside, before that sneak of a shopkeeper buttered me up! I almost walked right out when he first offered to sell it to me over, well, you. I felt guilty for at least an hour!”

Jeeves leaned forward, resting his hand on the back of my neck, pulling me in to rest our foreheads together, his eyes warm. “That is one of the many reasons I do love you so,” he said, low and fond.

My own heart skipped a few beats as i leaned into the gesture. “Well, I say,” i say-ed with as much warmth and levity as I could manage through the emotions sticking in my throat. “We are quite a pair, aren’t we? Ha- did you catch that one? A pair, just like the-”

Jeeves kissed me, then, which I believe may be his favorite way of quieting me down with words, now that we can. Either way, I heard the unspoken phrase loud and clear with all the love and affection in the world.

_Indeed, sir._

 

 

 

 


End file.
